genus
Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...
bivalve
Bivalvia () or bivalves, in previous centuries referred to as the Lamellibranchiata and Pelecypoda, is a class (biology), class of aquatic animal, aquatic molluscs (marine and freshwater) that have laterally compressed soft bodies enclosed b ...
mollusk
Mollusca is a phylum of protostomic invertebrate animals, whose members are known as molluscs or mollusks (). Around 76,000 extant species of molluscs are recognized, making it the second-largest animal phylum after Arthropoda. The ...
s in the family
Solemyidae
Solemyidae is a family (biology), family of saltwater clams, marine (ocean), marine protobranch bivalve mollusks in the order (biology), order Solemyida.
Biology
Solemyids are remarkable in that their digestive tract is either extremely small or ...
, the awning clams. ''Solemya'' is the
type genus
In biological taxonomy, the type genus (''genus typica'') is the genus which defines a biological family and the root of the family name.
Zoological nomenclature
According to the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, "The name-bearin ...
of the family Solemyidae.
Description
The shell
valves
A valve is a device or natural object that regulates, directs or controls the flow of a fluid (gases, liquids, fluidized solids, or slurries) by opening, closing, or partially obstructing various passageways. Valves are technically fittings, ...
of species in this genus are fragile and subcylindrical in shape; there are no
hinge teeth
Hinge teeth are part of the anatomical structure of the inner surface of a bivalve shell, i.e. the shell of a bivalve mollusk. Bivalves by definition have two valves, which are joined together by a strong and flexible ligament situated on the hin ...
. The shell has a persistent thin
periostracum
The periostracum ( ) is a thin, organic coating (or "skin") that is the outermost layer of the shell of many shelled animals, including molluscs and brachiopods. Among molluscs, it is primarily seen in snails and clams, i.e. in gastropods an ...
which extends beyond the valve margins, hence the common name "awning clams".
These clams have
chemosynthetic
In biochemistry, chemosynthesis is the biological conversion of one or more carbon-containing molecules (usually carbon dioxide or methane) and nutrients into organic matter using the oxidation of inorganic compounds (e.g., hydrogen gas, hydrog ...
bacterial
symbionts
Symbiosis (Ancient Greek : living with, companionship < : together; and ''bíōsis'': living) is any type of a close and long-term
hydrogen sulfide
Hydrogen sulfide is a chemical compound with the formula . It is a colorless chalcogen-hydride gas, and is toxic, corrosive, and flammable. Trace amounts in ambient atmosphere have a characteristic foul odor of rotten eggs. Swedish chemist ...
, which they then use to fix carbon dioxide via the
Calvin cycle
The Calvin cycle, light-independent reactions, bio synthetic phase, dark reactions, or photosynthetic carbon reduction (PCR) cycle of photosynthesis is a series of chemical reactions that convert carbon dioxide and hydrogen-carrier compounds into ...
. This symbiosis has been best-studied in the Atlantic species '' S. velum'' and the Pacific species '' S. reidi''.
Species
Species within the genus ''Solemya'' include:
* ''
Solemya africana
''Solemya'' is a genus of saltwater clams, marine bivalve mollusks in the family Solemyidae, the awning clams. ''Solemya'' is the type genus of the family Solemyidae.
Description
The shell valves of species in this genus are fragile and subcyli ...
''
* ''
Solemya atacama
''Solemya'' is a genus of saltwater clams, marine bivalve mollusks in the family Solemyidae, the awning clams. ''Solemya'' is the type genus of the family Solemyidae.
Description
The shell valves of species in this genus are fragile and subcyli ...
''
* ''
Solemya australis
''Solemya'' is a genus of saltwater clams, marine bivalve mollusks in the family Solemyidae, the awning clams. ''Solemya'' is the type genus of the family Solemyidae.
Description
The shell valves of species in this genus are fragile and subcyli ...
''
* ''
Solemya borealis
''Solemya borealis'' , the boreal awning clam, is a species of saltwater clam, a Marine (ocean), marine bivalve mollusc in the family (biology), family Solemyidae the awning clams. This species is found along the northeastern coast of North Ameri ...
Solemya flava
''Solemya'' is a genus of saltwater clams, marine bivalve mollusks in the family Solemyidae, the awning clams. ''Solemya'' is the type genus of the family Solemyidae.
Description
The shell valves of species in this genus are fragile and subcyli ...
''
* ''
Solemya moretonensis
''Solemya'' is a genus of saltwater clams, marine bivalve mollusks in the family Solemyidae, the awning clams. ''Solemya'' is the type genus of the family Solemyidae.
Description
The shell valves of species in this genus are fragile and subcyli ...
''
* ''
Solemya notialis
''Solemya'' is a genus of saltwater clams, marine bivalve mollusks in the family Solemyidae, the awning clams. ''Solemya'' is the type genus of the family Solemyidae.
Description
The shell valves of species in this genus are fragile and subcyli ...
''
* ''
Solemya occidentalis
''Solemya occidentalis'' , the West Indian awning clam, is a species of marine bivalve mollusc in the family Solemyidae. This species is found in the western Atlantic Ocean from Florida to the West Indies
The West Indies is an island subregi ...
''
* ''
Solemya panamensis
''Solemya'' is a genus of saltwater clams, marine bivalve mollusks in the family Solemyidae, the awning clams. ''Solemya'' is the type genus of the family Solemyidae.
Description
The shell valves of species in this genus are fragile and subcyli ...
''
* ''
Solemya parkinsonii
''Solemya parkinsonii'' is a species of saltwater clam, a marine bivalve mollusc in the family Solemyidae
Solemyidae is a family (biology), family of saltwater clams, marine (ocean), marine protobranch bivalve mollusks in the order (biology), ...
''
* ''
Solemya pervernicosa
''Solemya'' is a genus of saltwater clams, marine bivalve mollusks in the family Solemyidae, the awning clams. ''Solemya'' is the type genus of the family Solemyidae.
Description
The shell valves of species in this genus are fragile and subcyli ...
''
* ''
Solemya pusilla
''Solemya'' is a genus of saltwater clams, marine bivalve mollusks in the family Solemyidae, the awning clams. ''Solemya'' is the type genus of the family Solemyidae.
Description
The shell valves of species in this genus are fragile and subcyli ...
''
* ''
Solemya reidi
''Solemya'' is a genus of saltwater clams, marine bivalve mollusks in the family Solemyidae, the awning clams. ''Solemya'' is the type genus of the family Solemyidae.
Description
The shell valves of species in this genus are fragile and subcyli ...
''
* ''
Solemya tagiri
''Solemya'' is a genus of saltwater clams, marine bivalve mollusks in the family Solemyidae, the awning clams. ''Solemya'' is the type genus of the family Solemyidae.
Description
The shell valves of species in this genus are fragile and subcyli ...
Solemya velum
''Solemya'' is a genus of saltwater clams, marine (ocean), marine bivalve mollusks in the family Solemyidae, the awning clams. ''Solemya'' is the type genus of the family Solemyidae.
Description
The shell Valve (mollusc), valves of species in th ...